Lopez International
by despicableme21
Summary: Santana Lopez runs an international business centre, but she is a little unsure of what she's going to do with herself, when she meets her new CFO Brittany Pierce. The gorgeous blonde turns Santana's world upside down. And the nightmare she's been having for years seems to be taking its toll. Brittana, AU. M for later chapters & just to be safe.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue:**_

_The ground is hard against my knees, cold, solid. Concrete. I take in slow, shaky breaths, trying to keep my heart rate down as the anxiety kicks in. A rough and scratchy fabric obstructs my vision, and my hands are bound behind my back in what feels to be flexi-cuffs. I'm vulnerable, and I'm alone. Heavy footsteps can be heard coming from down the hall followed by the slide of a deadbolt, as the heavy metal door is swung open. His cologne is overpowering, it takes over the musty smell of the room I'm in – my senses are in overdrive considering two of the five are being obstructed from ability to be used. I feel his presence behind me, as the footsteps slow, and then finally stop. The cool metal is pressed against the back of my head, as his warm breath can be felt against my ear. I swallow dryly; this is it, I think to myself. He opens his mouth, obscenely loud and far too close, the smack of his lips is practically deafening in this silence of the cold room. A shot is heard, and then it all goes black._

* * *

I wake up in a cold sweat, that nightmare has been haunting me for years, and I still have no idea why. I don't even know why I would be in that situation. I mean yes, I have money, God, I have more money than is reasonable, but surely there would be more reason than that. Ugh, who knows. I reach over to the bedside table and grab my iPhone, some gadget that Anthony thought would be good for business – apparently all my stuff gets synced through a _cloud_. What bullshit. But anyway, I check the time and notice its 6:05, I don't have to be out the door for another hour and a half, but decide to get up anyway and take a hot shower. Hopefully that wakes me up and makes me feel better.

Stepping out of the shower, I wrap a big fluffy towel around my body and head into my walk in robe – well really its more of a room dedicated to my clothes, shoes and make-up station, but who cares. I want it, so I have it. I quickly decide on a black suit, with my red pumps and crisp white shirt, I also pull a slim red tie from the drawer and think why not, anything I wear is sexy as hell. I drop the towel and slip on my new lingerie set from Victoria's Secret, and then head back into the bathroom to style my hair for the day; I keep it simple for the office normally, hair blow-waved and styled with a slight curl, and make up simple and professional, while still making my eyes pop with a slightly smokey effect. After a look in the mirror I give myself an appreciative wink, I dress quickly and put in my diamond earrings _papi_ and _mami_ bought me for my 21st birthday, deciding on minimal jewelry I just add my favorite watch and head into my kitchen, collecting my handbag on the way.

Maria has obviously come in early to prepare breakfast for me but I'm not normally a breakfast person, so I take a bite of my bagel and a long sip of my coffee. Black. If its not black then how can you appreciate the flavors of it? I check the time and its 7:20, I should probably head downstairs, with a whistful look at my Audi keys in the bowl on the table near the door, I head downstairs and smile at the doorman who hold the door open for me.

"Good morning Miss Lopez, the car is waiting for you"

"Thank-you William"

My driver holds open the door to the black car, and I step inside. Preparing myself for a long day of meetings and conference calls with CEO's all over the world.

When we pull up to the office, my driver once again opens my door, I think his name is Aaron so I give him a small smile, and walk towards the big glass doors of _Lopez International Business Centre_. In the lobby I receive a few hellos and good mornings, but go directly to the elevator and hit the button for the 30th floor. When the elevator doors slide open, I'm greeted by my assistant Anthony giving me a coffee cup from Starbucks, and she ran me through the day's schedule as I walked to my office.

"So Miss Fabray is still in Los Angeles, dealing with a court case there, but she called and said to tell you she will be back in time for you lunch meeting tomorrow at one. Also, the new accountant is here and she waiting in the boardroom for a briefing, so would you like me to send the head of HR in there also?"

"Thank-you Anthony, and no, tell David to stay in his office, I don't need him scaring away anymore potential finance managers. Also, please ask Miss Pierce to move to my office, I will have my meeting with her in there, and also bring her something to drink"

"Absolutely Miss Lopez"

I walked into my office and sit in my chair behind the mahogany desk. The rest of the building is filled with modern desks, chairs and board room tables, with gadgets all over the place, but I liked the feel of the library and my father's study back home, so I wanted my office to remind me of that. I settle back into the leather chair my father used to have in his home office, he had given it to me as a gift after I purchased the new building that I currently run most of the company from. I stare out over New York City's early morning skyline, watching the people walking around on the ground the size of ants from 30 floors up, and the yellow cabs driving around like crazy. I love this city, everything about it, the smell, the sounds and the people of course. You can be the wealthiest person in the world, and still just blend in and be apart of the crowd, getting lost amongst a sea of people.

I am disrupted from my own wandering thoughts by Anthony knocking on the door and letting the new accountant in; I spin around on my chair and I swear my jaw falls to the ground she is so beautiful, a goddess as some would put it. Her long blonde hair is swept to one side, perfectly straightened, it practically glows in the early morning light filtering through my office window. She holds herself up well, her navy blue dress hugging her curves in all the right places, while still being incredibly professional. My eyes continue to trace her body, mentally paying homage to her parents for creating such a perfect human being. I look at her face a littler closer, and notice thin pink lips, and eyes so blue you feel you could fall into the ocean just by looking at them. She coughs nervously, its so cute, and it pulls me from my leering. I lean back in my chair and call her over, pretending as if I was not just caught checking out my newest employee.

"Miss Pierce, welcome to Lopez International, I trust they showed you to your new office…"

"Brittany"

"Sorry?"

"You can call me Brittany" she says with a nervous smile

"Ah, of course, _Brittany_. Well I assume you know who I am, so lets get started on the tasks you will be expected to perform whilst you're here. You are the new CFO – Chief Financial Officer, your resume was outstanding, you're incredibly accomplished for someone so young. How old are you exactly?"

"I'm 33 Miss Lopez"

"I see, well Brittany, here is today's schedule, you will be sitting in on my meetings for the day, before you begin your new role tomorrow, is that understood?"  
"Naturally"

"Excellent, well I shall see you in the board room on level 28 at 10 sharp. Please go make yourself comfortable in your new office, and settle in"

"Thank-you miss lopez, for this opportunity. Working with you has been a goal of mine for a great number of years" She smiled towards me, and then slipped out of the office.

"No, thank you Brittany" I say quietly.

This is going to be a big deal, Lopez, do not sleep with you're new CFO, yes she is sexy as hell, but you gotta control yourself and do what is best for the company. I sigh, this is going to be a long day. I turn to my computer and check my emails, making a start on my day.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey guys! sorry for being a little slow in the updates, I sort of lost inspiration for _Stripped Bare_ but i just started a new chapter which should be up soon! Heres the new one for _Lopez International. _ I hope you all enjoy it! Hit me up with any suggestions/reviews or even prompts for a story or one-shot.

Stay fabulous!

-N

* * *

**Chapter I**

I collapse into my chair, the soft leather engulfing me into its embrace, comforting me. It's been a long day of back to back meetings and I should have been home hours ago, but I had to stay back, make sure everything got done correctly. Plus, the blonde distraction was of no help. Quinn was still out of town, she's meant to be back soon, but indeed her there, she's one of my best lawyers (after myself of course) but its not like I'm ever in the court room anymore. Hell I don't even see the clients these days, I spend all my time managing the company, but that's what I have to do if I don't want this to fail.

Admittedly, my family has enough money to keep this company afloat, but that's not the point, I'm proud of what I achieved. My Harvard education is not about to go to waste, I spend years building up is company, and now I run one of the biggest multinational corporations in the United States. _Mami _and _Papi_ were so proud of me when I opened my new building, they came to the opening along with _abuela, _even she was proud of me on that day, I was finally honouring the Lopez name. Naturally Puck was there by my side, as well as Quinn, my leading lawyer who had her own floor in the new building.

Puck had been part of my family from the day I bumped into him in Central Park, nearly 30 years ago. I had been put into a prep school from elementary, but Puckerman was from the rougher side of Brooklyn, a dad who had left when Puck was 3, and a coked out mother who didn't care where Puck was. I was a naive and curious 8 year old, who had gone for a walk with her nanny on a Sunday afternoon while my parents had been on a business trip to LA. Puck was being pushed around by some other boys, who were trying to take his ice-cream bar. Well, they were until I went and kicked the biggest one hard in the shin. I think he was so surprised to be kicked by a girl he didn't know what to do, so I decided once wasn't enough and kicked him in the balls too, before his friends helped him up and they ran (or tried to) away.

From that moment on Puck and I had been inseparable. We saw each other every weekend, and sometimes _mami_ even let him come over after school, but he had to go home before it got too late - out driver took him home, as _Papi_ didn't think it was safe for a child to be travelling through New York alone at night - neither of my parents understood what would possess a parent to allow their young child to travel alone in New York at any point of the day. They could only figure that his family was dysfunctional, and that was as much information as Puck would tell any of us.

By the time we were teenagers, Puck had gone down a rebellious path, was skipping school and was practically living at my place. In saying that, we had never dated, we couldn't bring ourselves to do it. But that didn't stop us from fooling around. We were each others first, so we knew what to expect, and because we did love each other, he was my best friend and I was his. After that first time, it was very irregular, and as two fifteen year olds we were quite experienced, I think I slept with more guys in my freshman year than most people do in high school and college combined. It didn't help that I refused to acknowledge my sexuality during high school, while I slept with a girl on the cheersquad, I used my position as captain to keep her quiet, threatening to kick her off equal if anyone found out. Of course, I told Puck and being his typical, self proclaimed "bad boy" self, he wanted to know if "next time, you want some meat in that sandwich let me know". It's safe to say that earned him a kick in the balls.

However our rebellious freshman year aside, it wasn't until halfway through sophomore year that Puck moved in, officially. By this point my parents had take quite a liking to him - they didn't know we'd slept together on occasion - and after something happened that I wasn't told about for many years, Puck was brought into my house permanently, I'll never forget that day.

* * *

_"Santana, come downstairs for a moment" my Papi's voice boomed through the apartment. I could only wonder what I was in trouble for, maybe he noticed I had stolen his tequila from his office bar. Shit. _

_"Coming Papi, one minute por favor" I responded, hastily checking the bottle of alcohol was safely hidden, and headed downstairs. From the foot of the stairs I noticed Puck standing beside my father and mami ordering Carla to set up the spare room. _

_"Santanita, Noah is moving in with us, I will call the school in the morning to arrange his transfer, bien?"_

_"Si Papi, but why?" I asked, curious even though I was excited to have Puckerman living with me. _

_"No te preocupes (do not concern yourself), if Noah wishes to explain that is up to him. However hopefully this will become a permanent arrangement, your mother will be making sure of that tomorrow from her office. Now, go to bed both of you, it is late and you have school tomorrow."_

_Both of us nodded, preparing to head up to our rooms._

_"Oh and Mija, I trust that there will be no more bed sharing that Noah lives with us. Am I clear?"_

_My ears flushed, although I would deny it if anyone asked, because ethnic people don't blush. "Si Papi..."_

_"Good, help Noah settling in, then go to bed you both have school tomorrow" and with that he left the room and went into his office._

* * *

Puck didn't tell me the reason he moved in for many years, after he refused to tell m that night, I didn't bring it up again. It wasn't until our high school graduation, to years later, that he told me; he had found his mother on the couch, with a needle lying on the table after coming home from school one day. She wasn't breathing and he screamed for help, but in his neighbourhood it wasn't like anyone would come. He called _Papi_ at the hospital, and my parents went to pick him up from Brooklyn. Upon seeing Noah's mother, _Papi _sent him and _mami _to pack his belongings, and get into the car, while he called his associates at th hospital to come and sort out the mess, along with the police. And from then on, it was history, he'd moved into my house, was adopted by my parents, and given the best education money could buy, along with tutors, to bring him up to speed and get him into Columbia on a baseball scholarship.

A knock on my office door, wakes me from my reminiscing, it's Anthony my assistant.

"Miss Lopez, I have Miss Fabray here, she arrived earlier than expected, shall I let her in?"

"Of course Anthony! Where's my Quinnie?!" I said, my excitement evident, I hadn't seen my number one lawyer, best friend and roommate in almost two weeks.

"No need to seem so excited to see me S" Quinn smirked as she entered the room, Anthony closing the door behind her and signalling he was going home, I nodded at him, before leaping up to greet Quinn.

"I missed you Q, the house, and office, is too quiet without you" I said, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I missed you too San, but I'm starving, and I know you've obviously been here for way too many hours after the office has closed, so lets grab some dinner and catch up on the most recent gossip?"

"Sounds perfect, let's go" I say, grabbing my blazer and purse before strutting out of my office and too the elevator. The ride to the lobby is quiet, I figure Quinn is exhausted from her flight, and so once in the lobby, we head straight out to the sleek black car waiting for me to give direction.

"Take us to BreadstiX, Aaron"

"Of course Miss Lopez, and welcome back Miss Fabray"

The car ride is quiet, and Quinn is looking out the window, at the passing lights of New York, until we pull up at my favourite Italian restaurant in the city, outside of Central Park.

"I missed this city, I like LA, but I adore New York, San" she smiles, as she exits the car and waits for me at the door of the restaurant.

"I know Quinn," I smile, before turning to the hostess and requesting my favourite booth, "now, how was your trip? Teach those Los Angeles lawyers how we do it in the big city?" I smirk at her, from across the booth. She laughs.

"Of course Tana, those _country_ kids ain't got nothing on us _city folk_" she smirks and tries to muffle her laughter.

"Har Har, Quinn" I give her a glare, "you know what I meant, how did the case go? Kick some ass?"

"Naturally, you know I'm the best. You're the one who made me" she smiles

"I know, hey we need to dominate every field if we want to stay on top" I say as I devour a breadstick, only just realising how hungry I actually am, and wave over the waitress, "but lets order"

An hour later we're back in the car, heading to our apartment on the Upper East Side, Quinn falls asleep on my shoulder in the ride home. It's a little after eleven when we get home, and I wake up Quinn, she's so cute when she's just woken up and a little disorientated. Aaron opens our doors and then goes to collect Quinn's bags, passing them to William the doorman who places them on a trolley ready for us to take to our apartment. Quinn and I walk to the elevator, and William follows with the trolley, allowing one of the junior doormen to man the doors. Entering the private elevator, William hits the (P) button and inserts the code, taking us directly to the penthouse, while Quinn wakes herself up a little more, adjusting her sleep hair. Once in the foyer of the penthouse, William leave the trolley with Quinn's bags, and tips his hat goodnight.

"Thank-you William," I whisper, "goodnight"

"Goodnight miss Lopez, don't forget to buzz downstairs if you need anything", he smiles and leaves.

I turn to find Quinn has taken her purse and gone to her room upstairs, leaving her bags for Maria to deal with in the morning. I follow suit, walking upstairs towards my bedroom, once inside I head to my wardrobe and sit on the stool inside, take off my heels carefully, allowing my feet to stretch out after being confined in those stilettos for so long. I stand after a moment, and take of my suit and hang it up, strip off my shirt and leave it on the stool for Maria to take to the laundry service and take out my earring and watch, and place them in my preferred jewellery box on the dresser. I quickly slip on a singlet before going to bed.

I slide into bed, the sheets already turned down, and allow the soft silk sheets to engulf me into bliss, before I succumb to sleep, and exhaustion takes over.

* * *

I wake up at 3:30am, the sound of sobbing coming from further down the hall. I know it's Quinn (well, who else could it possibly be?), she's better now, not as bad as she used to be. She is yet to move on, just a few drunken one night stands, that resulted in a teary, guilty hangover the next day. However, sometimes she still cries in her sleep, not very often, sometimes with many months in between. I get up from my bed, and pull a pair of sleep shorts on over my underwear, and carefully tread towards Quinn's bedroom, pushing open the slightly ajar door, completely. She's still asleep, so I pull back the covers, and crawl in beside her, pulling her sleeping form into my arms, and listen as her sobs subside, and breathing evens out.

The loss of Puck has had a big impact on Quinn. They met when we were in high school, he was infatuated with her from the moment he lay eyes on her, fourteen years he loved her, until the day he crashed his car into a pole.

* * *

_"Puckerman, I'm bring a friend over today, don't be your usual creepy self, okay?" I scold over the phone. _

_"Friends? I know all your friends Tana, who is she?" Puck inquires, I've clearly spiked his interest. _

_"No one who'd be interested in you. She goes to Constance School for Girls, she has better taste than man whores such as yourself" I say with a smirk, even though he can't see it._

_"Hey! I can be a perfect gentleman..."_

_"Until you get them to sleep with you sure"_

_"Aw San, don't be mean" he says, I can hear his pout through the phone. _

_"Whatever, I'll see you soon, I'm waiting for her in the car, _adios_ Noah"_

_Once home, Quinn and I walked into the kitchen and Carla made us some grilled cheese sandwiches._

_"San, I love your apartment" Quinn says with a smile._

_"Thanks Q, what do you wanna do?" I replied, placing my napkin in my plate and pushing it forward, before Carla collects it, and puts it in the dishwasher. _

_"I don't know, wanna watch Sweet Valley High? I love that show..."_

_"Sure thing, lets got" I pulled her with me towards the huge lounge room, with dads new flat screen, and slip in the disc._

_After about the first episode, Puck walks in, and Quinn's eyes are instantly drawn to the newly bulked up puck, who was preparing for football season now that baseball was over. _

_"Hey, I'm Puck, but you can call me Noah if you like..." He said to Quinn. Blushing slightly._

_"I'm Quinn" she replied with a shy smile, but her eyes never leaving his. _

_"Okay love birds, keep it in your pants, namely you Puckerman" I said with an eye roll._

_"Calm yo tits Lopez, I was just saying hi...jeez" _

_"Yes Santana, relax" _

_"Quinn...do you want to stay for dinner?" Carla asked from the doorway, obviously preparing dinner for the evening, and deciding to set the table a little early._

_"I'd love to Carla, but I really best be going home..."_

_"Nonsense Quinn" came my fathers booming voice from the hallway, "I've come home early today, and we'd love to have you for dinner, I will call your mother to arrange, now please enjoy your evening with us, por favor" Papi said, as he entered the room._

_"Ok si mr Lopez, thank you" she replied with a smile, as both Papi and Carla left the room for the kitchen and study, respectively. _

_I turned to glare at Puck, telling him no funny business, and all I got in response was a look that was all innocent, as if to say 'me? I'd never...'. Quinn hadn't noticed the little silent battle between me and Puck as she had already returned to the TV. It would be a long night, especially with all that eye sex that I'm sure would be going on during dinner, Puck was already whipped and they'd barely known each other five minutes. _

* * *

The weeks progressed slowly, and my relationship with Brittany was staying professional. Albeit for them stolen glances and occasional hand grazing. Although nothing more had progressed, and I doubt it would, I don't think she's me anything more than a boss, hell, she's probably straight, I think that was a photo of her boyfriend and her hugging on her desk, that time I walked in. The blonde boy had his arm slung around her shoulders and they were both laughing. In a way she's a lot like me, her office is very professional, just the one photo on her desk, with her bookcase lined with volumes of financial books, and old ledgers, as well as the standard corporate history. The rest of the room was bare, her desk clear of any items not used, her computer, cup of pens, and a single journal, was all that was on the surface. She was tidy, I liked that, and she did her work well. She had fallen into the routine of the company quickly and easily, making quick friends with all the senior staff, and winning over all the board members with a single flash of her radiant smile. Then again, those old men probably just loved how good her ass looked in those tight pencil skirts she wears - not that I look or anything, it's just a fact.

I only had one more meeting for the day, and it was smack in the middle of lunch, so I went to Brittany's office, to see if she was prepared for the weeks senior staff meeting.

"Brittany," I called, knocking on the door.

"In here Miss Lopez" came the angelic reply.

"You know you can call me Santana, I mean, I call you Britt-tany" I say with a little smile, stepping further into her office, and carefully closing the wooden door behind me.

"Well then, _Santana,_ what can I do for you? As our meeting isn't for another hour" she says with a cheeky smile.

"I, uh, was actually just coming to check how you were settling in. You've been here for over a month now, and I thought I'd see how things were going" I settle onto the sofa near the window.

"Oh, its going well. I really like it here, I'm so honoured you wanted me..."

"Brittany, I think the whole board did, and after your first meeting in your first week, I think you had them wrapped around your finger before you even opened your mouth" I smirk, she blushes.

"Haha, I suppose. They did seem quite interested in how I thought things were going"

"Yes. Well, I lied, I also came to find out if you wanted to get something to eat with me before the meeting? It will be running into lunch and I thought you might be hungry. Or get hungry. I don't know, I mean you like food right? There's a really good Italian place nea-" I ramble on, 'shut up Santana, you look stupid'.

"Santana" she interrupts, then blushes a little nervous, "I would love to get lunch with you".

I smile, relieved, and send a text to my driver to be out the front in five minutes.

"Well good, how do you feel about Italian?" I smile.

"It's my favourite, well, second, to Mexican" she smirks.

"I uh, let's go?" I say nervously.

"Yes, let me grab my purse..."

"You won't be needing that, just your phone will suffice, I have the company credit card" I smirk.

"But don't you own the company?"

"Yeah..."

"So you're buying me lunch?"

"You could put it that way I suppose..."

"Great, I'm in" she smirks at me and struts passed towards the door, swaying her hips slightly as she does, if only she knew what she did to me. Well actually, it's probably a good thing she doesn't, she'd think I'm strange for being so attracted to a straight woman.

"Anthony" I call out' as he turns towards me from his desk in the hall, "please push back the senior meeting, I'm going to lunch" he nods at me and I smile as I step into the elevator with Brittany.

Her scent is overpowering. The vanilla perfume is intoxicating, and I breathe a deep sigh of relief when the elevator finally pings, notifying us we've arrived in the lobby, and I can escape from being in such close proximity. I lead her to the car, and direct Aaron to take us to BreakstiX, even though it wasn't close to the office, that was on Wall Street, but I could just walk in and get a table. The hostess takes us to my favourite booth, occupied by myself no Quinn not too many weeks prior. I allow Brittany to decide whether to sit opposite or next to me, by sliding into the booth first. I am somewhat disappointed when she sits on the other side of the booth, but she throws me a smile, and waits for me to make the next move. The host gives us out menus and asks for our drink orders.

"I'll have a glass of your best red" I say with a smile to the young waitress, who blushes, "and also a bottle of San Pellegrino mineral water for the table".

"I'll have a glass of Sav Blanc" she smiles at me, and opens her menu, becoming quite invested in it.

I watch her - in a totally not creepy way - as she concentrates on her menu. Blue eyes narrowed towards the options before her, and her tongue poking out slightly in concentration. I'm suddenly snapped from my leering when she snaps shut her menu and places it down, as the waitress is back over, ready to take our mains, after placing the mineral water and wines on the table.

"Could I get the Spaghetti Bolognese?" She says, in a questioning way, as the waitress nods and scribbles on her pad before looking at me expectantly.

"Uh...", i quickly scan my menu, "could I get the Gnocchi Al Funghi, and also the house bruschetta as a starter" I say with a smile, handing the girl my menu, before she runs off towards the kitchen.

"So," I start, picking up my wine and taking a sip, "how are you finding the office?"

"It's good, some people I like more than others" she says its a small smile.

"Oh really? Anyone I know?" I laugh

"Yes, she's beautiful, kind and has the most radiant smile..." she blushes, and the tips of her ears go red, as she brushes the hair to one side.

"Hmm, cool, I'm glad you're settling in" I say a little dejected.

"What about you Miss Lo- Santana, are you seeing anyone?" She says and suddenly looks down at the table, "I'm sorry, that wasn't my place.."

"No I'm not, but the girl I'm interested in is taken, I think she has a boyfriend

"Oh? Well that sucks" she seems a little confused, "how do you know she has a boyfriend?"

"You have a photo of you two on your desk-" I stop suddenly, _fuck_. She looks at me confused, I think I weirded her out. She's going to leave the company and I can't even blame David.

"Sam...isn't my boyfriend" she smiles, before bursting into laughter, "he's my little brother"

"Oh" is all I say. Oh my god, I'm such an idiot. How did I not realise? In retrospect the resemblance is blinding.

"Yeah, I'm uh, actually interested in a girl at the moment anyway" she says shyly.

"Who?" I say, even more let down than before, knowing she swings my way, but there's already another girl in the picture.

"I'm actually already at lunch with her"

"Wha-..._ooooh_" I smile, "me?"

"Yes you, I hope that's ok, I mean I know you're my boss..." She starts.

"It's fine Britt, I like you too. So, tell me about yourself?" I say with a sigh of relief, she is interested in me. Thank god.

"Well I'm not that interesting, I'm from Chicago, I grew up in a dodgy area. My mums a nurse and my dads a plumber, and they still live there. My sister is a dancer though, she has danced with Beyonce" she says, the pride clear in her eyes, "as for me, I got a scholarship to MIT in my senior year for physics, but ended up changing into finance"

"That's incredible, congratulations!" I say, genuinely proud of her for her achievements, "what about your brother?"

"He...I'd rather not talk about it" she goes quiet.

"Oh okay, that's fine. I mean you barely know me, you don't have to open up" I mumble, and fully the food comes at the point, along with the bruschetta, and we dig in quietly.

Once we've finished eating, in what must be record time, we were both hungry, I ask her if she would like a coffee.

"Yes, that would be lovely, when do we have to go back?" She asks

"We have forty-five minutes left though" I say as I signal to the waitress for coffee. "So, where abouts are you staying in the city? Have you lived here for long?"

"I've been in New York for about 3 months, I was in Boston all my life once I left for college, at eighteen. I currently have an apartment here in Manhattan, in Midtown. Where abouts are you?" She responds, relief evident in her face, for a change of topic.

"I'm in the upper east side, not too far from here, actually," I say, picking up my coffee, allowing the aroma of the freshly ground coffee beans to invade my senses.

"That's cool, I'm sure it's a huge apartment" is her nervous reply, "where do you parents live?"

"My family is actually from Manhattan, but they're currently in the Hamptons since my dad retired from medicine. My mum hasn't worked in law since she had me, so they decided to move upstate. Although they do still have an apartment in the city" I explain.

"Yeah, mine are still in Chicago, although not in the same neighbourhood I grew up in, thankfully. Once we all moved out, they moved into a safer suburb a little further out from the city, both me and my sister helped them with the move, and making sure it was nice and safe now that they're older"

"Aw, that's so sweet of you guys, and yes, its probably better that they're in a better suburb these days" I say with a smile. "Do you want to head off to the meeting now?"

"Yeah lets go, time to actually do some work, do you ever do anything or are you always in lunch 'meetings'?" she says with a smirk.

"I do work!" I protest, "I hired you to do the hard stuff though – financing"

"True, you do have to run a multinational company…"

"Thank-you" I say with a smug grin giving my credit card to the waitress to pay the bill, "but lets go"

As we head towards the exit, the hostess meets me at the front desk, giving me my credit card back as well as a card with her number on it. It was a sweet gesture, but it was just going into the bin once we were outside, although Brittany seemed to be jealous. She gave the hostess a glare as we walked out, causing me to smile, _Yeah, shes definitely into me_.

Once we're in the car, Brittany is looking out the window, however unlike on the way to lunch, we sit in a much more comfortable silence. She watches the city pass by us, while I watch her, taking in every detail. From her flowing blonde hair, gently curled today, to her pronounced jaw line. She's so elegant, and those long legs are so distracting coming out from her suit skirt. I'm distracted from my leering by the _swoosh_ of an incoming email.

I unlock the phone, punching in my _papi's_ birthday as my code. Its bizarre, there is no name to the email.

**From: Anonymous**

**To: Santana Lopez ****  
**

_Lopez_

_Due to the ramifications of the actions of a mutual friend, money is owed to us. _

_We expect you to deliver $500,000 to _Titan_ by the end of the month._

_If you do not comply, or go to the police or other government agencies, there will be consequences._

_D._

Well fuck. What does that even mean? What am I even expected to do? Who is this mutual friend? And who is D? What have I done to get myself into this situation?

I scroll through my meetings in the calendar for the rest of the day, and seeing I have none booked in, I book myself out for the afternoon after this meeting to go have a bit of a look into Titan. It must have some connection to Puck. He's been dead for years though, so maybe not. Perhaps I should have paid better attention to the running of it after he left it to me, instead of just letting it do its thing, and not just bailing it out every time it struggled a little, which wasn't very often. It was a relatively popular bar in the city. Not that we've been there since Puck.


End file.
